MAINE PROJECT LEARNING TREE® 153 HOSPITAL STREET, AUGUSTA, ME 04430

(207) 626-7990

meprojectlearningtree@gmail.com

www.mainetreefoundation.org

https://www.facebook.com/MainePLT

SPRING 2017

PLT® Mission: PLT uses the forest as a "window" on the world to increase students' understanding of our environment;

stimulate students' critical and creative thinking; develop students' ability to make informed decisions on environmental

issues; and instill in students the commitment to take responsible action on behalf of the environment.

READ ALL ABOUT IT! MEPLT HAS STORIES TO SHARE

Have you found time to breathe in the spring air and turn

your face to the warm sun? This is the season for taking

that time to just stop and soak in the season while

forgetting, for a moment, about impending mud and ticks!

Reality is ever present when planning outdoor experiences

with students.

Working with foresters, teachers and statewide community

leaders certainly provides a lot of fodder for our MEPLT

newsletter. So much good news to share beginning with

Maine’s 40th Anniversary celebrations taking place in

October.

A few years back: Pete Lammert, Barry Burgason and Kathy

McGlauflin share a MTF Tree Trunk moment!

On October 14, the China School’s Forest hosts our

outdoor family fun 40th birthday party with music by Nancy

Sferra and friend, locally grown fruit & veggies from Full

Circle Farm in Vassalboro, bread by a soon to be famous

Bowdoinham baker, lots of forest activities and tours and

some surprises!

Also this fall the Maine TREE Foundation will celebrate our

anniversary in Falmouth with special guest speaker Bob

Duchesne, trail guide and author of the official Maine

Birding Trail guide book. Watch for updates and details on

the MEPLT FB page and in your mailbox.

Two Maine science teachers got together with PLT this

winter to write a proposal for the Maine Land Conservation

Conference 2017. Their self-designed forestry courses

include in-depth forest studies within their communities

and require students to write actual forest management

plans. Jason Cyr, Waterville Junior High and Jeff

Cleaveland, Hall-Dale High will share the stories of

developing these PLT based lessons, student work and

final reflections. A big thanks to Jeff and Jason for their

creative and dedicated teaching and their interest in

getting students into the woods! Looking back: Who can remember what happened within

our MEPLT network on May 17, 1994?

Right! Joanne Alex, PLT facilitator extraordinaire and Early

Childhood teacher was presented with a National PLT

Outstanding Educator Award in Washington DC. She was

among twelve educators recognized for her commitment to

the goals of PLT. In a ’94 press release written by Lisa

Knauf, Larry Wiseman, then President of the American

Forest Foundation, was quoted: “indeed the awardees

exemplify the core of the PLT program based on teaching

students how to think and not what to think about

environmental issues.” Joanne was the first of many Maine

educators to be recognized as Outstanding Educators and

1994 was the first year that PLT presented these awards!

Sincere thanks to our excellent PLT facilitators and for the

leadership that they exemplify.

Joe & Joanne Alex with Senator Cohen, Washington DC

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Thanks to National PLT, Maine is a partner in a EE360

federal grant. Joanne Alex, Connie Ronco, Mary Logue,

Tim Surrette and Laurie Haines joined our Maine team and

put together a proposal to deliver in-service and pre-

service educator training that will include a strong

component for effectively teaching about the environment.

Early Childhood, new on-line PLT units and K-8 workshop

dates and locations to be announced this summer.

(L to R) Lee Academy Juniors Lauren and Cole and teacher

Susan Linscott accept Teddy Roosevelt Maine Conservation

Award for the school’s Service Learning Team

Maine Woods Forever Recognizes

Lee Academy By Pat Maloney

Project Learning Tree honors outstanding educators

across the country in a variety of ways and through

different groups that recognize these teachers. Maine is

fortunate to have a large network of teachers who provide

students with opportunities to learn about and work to

improve the quality of life in Maine woods-dependent

communities The Maine Woods Forever Teddy Roosevelt

Maine Conservation Award recognizes educators, young

people and youth organizations whose efforts are in the

spirit of Roosevelt’s conservation ethic and achievements,

and recognizes what Maine’s young people are doing to

conserve our forest heritage, with an eye to their potential

as future conservation leaders.

Susan Linscott, Lee Academy Science teacher, provides

not only her high school students with direct experiences

in the forests and with their community but requires that

they design and deliver forestry lessons for local

elementary and middle school students. Lee’s student

body is made up of local and international students all of

whom explore, research and experience the feeling of

being in nature while gaining an appreciation of the woods.

Students at Lee Academy conducted a culvert survey in

Lee and analyzed them for environmental safety and

structural integrity. Following the survey, students dug into

design work assuming the role of engineers. All the while

learning about conservation.

Another group studied the Spruce Budworm with a unit

that included history, economics and environmental

impacts of the last outbreak including long term effects on

the forest. Students were required to research SBW topics,

interview Lee residents and present findings to the Lee

community. They assumed leadership roles in an authentic

forest challenge and planned a community forum.

Lee students prepare and deliver forestry lessons to Winn

Elementary 4th graders and at least one Lee Team enters

the statewide Envirothon competitions. As a PLT facilitator

Susan has assisted in a number of workshops around the

state including Summer Teachers’ Tours workshops.

One question that Susan presents to students asks how

the forest ecosystem responds to stress? In seeking the

answer students study their forest and teach others to

conserve and to get involved.

Susan’s passion for wilderness, dedication for promoting

Maine’s natural resources and sincere respect for all living

things can be summed up with a reflection on Teddy

Roosevelt:

Maine, to Roosevelt, was where he first found his

authentic self. Near the end of his life, (he) presented his

wilderness days in the North Woods as the apogee of his

happiness during adolescence. He became the

adventitious expert on Maine.

May her students find their “authentic” selves through their

involvement with forestry and community related concerns.

Beyond our Wentworth School Walls By Kelly Tukey, Wentworth teacher

Many things drive teachers crazy, but we have discovered one that is crazy GOOD. This past fall our Wentworth School Professional Learning Team, a group of 7 educators from grades 3-5, wished to bring learning outside for our students. With a little nudge from a colleague and team member, Karin Kelly, we learned about the Maine Forest Inventory Growth Project (FIG), an exploratory project that connects students to Maine forests. Linda Woodard from the Maine Audubon Society and Kevin Doran, forester with the Maine Forest Service, met with us to discuss the details of setting up FIG plots. On a cold wintry day in March, students and staff joined by Kevin and District forester, Oliver Markewicz, Linda and her helping hand, Jeanie, headed outside to a small wooded lot adjacent to our building and play area. The 4th and 5th grade students measured, marked, nailed and recorded data about the trees in our two plots. The best thing about this project, however, has not necessarily been the forestry work, it has been the drive and energy to go beyond our walls and learn outside.

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Linda Woodard leading a tree ID activity at Wentworth

The weeks following prompted the teachers and students to explore and learn about forests. Lessons about tree growth top our list, but we have also been on ‘bug patrol’, tracking missions, investigating tree and leaf characteristics, and setting up game cameras to capture activities when all is still. The excitement of our students has kept us motivated to learn more about what we can explore and do in our wooded area. Pat Maloney of PLT met with the group and shared resources and information about upcoming workshops and the summer Teachers’ Tour schedules. It turned out that the workshops are a perfect fit. The workshop will help us find ways to enhance our students’ critical thinking skills, problem solving, and effective decision making skills as we explore the forest. On April 29, three members of our team will attend the China Primary School workshop. We’ll experience hands on activities and take away dozens of lessons related to outdoor learning to use with our students. We look forward to learning and growing with our students as we continue to explore outside classroom possibilities.

FIG Plot measurement with Kevin Doran and Wentworth students

Maine PLT Steering Committee welcomes

new member Laurie Haines

Laurie has been an active PLT facilitator for a number of

years and offers her professional expertise willingly and

with great enthusiasm. The Steering Committee extended

an invitation to Laurie to join because she’ll offer an urban

school perspective while bringing best classroom practices

to our meetings.

Laurie currently teaches earth science at Lewiston Star

Academy, an alternative school associated with Lewiston

High School, and has worked in the Lewiston Public

School System for the past 17 years. Since then she has

brought close to 1,000 students on field trips into both

semi old growth and mixed growth forests with the goal of

enhancing their view of the local environment and the

importance of trees. Laurie uses PLT activities throughout

each year and promotes PLT within the high school

biology and earth science classes at LHS.

She first became exposed to PLT back in 1981 when her

father (who was the president of the Boca Raton Audubon

Society) became a facilitator. During her college years

Laurie assisted him with workshops. Laurie told the

Steering Committee that she had “been on a few

Teachers’ Tours and had worked with Pat Maloney

organizing Forest Field Days at Thorncrag Nature

Sanctuary in Lewiston.”

2017 MAINE PROJECT LEARNING TREE STEERING COMMITTEE

Anita Smith, Chair, Maine Master Naturalist

Sherry Huber, Treasurer, Maine TREE Foundation

Barry Burgason, Huber Resources

Stephen Gettle, Woodland Investment Services

Laurie Haines, Lewiston High School

Betty MacWilliams, Tree Farmer and Former Science

Teacher

Timothy Surrette, University of Maine, Augusta

Shari Templeton, Maine Department of Education

Bernie Welch, Sebasticook Valley

Middle School

Warren Whitney, Maine Coast Heritage Trust

Linda Woodard, Maine Audubon

Pat Maloney, Maine PLT Coordinator

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PLT – A Vital Component at

China School’s Forest By Anita Smith

Recently China Primary students involved with forestry

lessons in the China School Forest commented that they

love the school forest and one student mused: “I don’t

have a forest by my house, so this is MY forest.”

On any given day, you might find students learning tree

identification, recording data about new discoveries or

exploring the differences and similarities between various

microhabitats in the forest. Teachers see the school forest

as an extension of their classroom and Project Learning

Tree (PLT) has been a key factor in the education journey

of students and staff for close to 25 years.

Students at the China School Forest

The China School’s Forest features several trails and 17

learning stations with many of them directly connected to

PLT activities. At Forest Choices, teachers use activity

#69 Forest for the Trees, to learn about different ways to

manage a forestland as well as the benefits and

drawbacks of different types of management. At the Wood

Measurement station, students use #67 How Big is Your

Tree to measure tree diameter, height and volume. PLT’s

K-8 Activity #48, Forest, Field and Stream brings pond

studies into the curriculum with students collecting data at

various habitats. Since all PLT activities have literacy

connections, teachers can be found reading stories about

life cycles of the trees and the kids literally see many

examples as they enjoy sitting in the tree house found at a

massive white pine.

Students care for the trails and outdoor classrooms and

take great pride in “their” forest. This year students

created a monarch butterfly garden area by planting native

milkweed seeds and learning about the life cycle of a

butterfly. Each year we find high school students returning

to help with trail and outdoor classroom maintenance.

Visit the China School’s Forest for yourself at Maine PLT’s

40th anniversary celebration on October 14. Join family-

friendly activities throughout the forest. Take a guided or

self-guided tour or stop by for a tree pruning demonstration

while enjoying music, local foods and much more!

East Grand School Teachers Reflect By Peggy White, East Grand School Principal

On Friday, March 17, the East Grand Elementary teachers enjoyed a Project Learning Tree (PLT) workshop presented by Terri Coolong, District Forester, Susan Linscott, Lee Academy teacher, and Pat Maloney, Coordinator of Maine Project Learning Tree. A few of the modeled activities stood out which are worth sharing. “One of our favorite activities was to Adopt a Tree in the school forest. We took photos and described our trees in detail,” 1st grade teacher Mary Bartlett said. She added, “We examined several tree cookies – one of which Mr. Apgar revealed the age of the tree with a few stories about its history. As part of the Tree Cookie activity we drew a tree cookie of each of our lives.” Louise Latvis, Special Education teacher, did a Kindle search for children’s literature that support PLT K-8 activities. A quick search came up with Little Sandy and the Magical Forest (Forest KIDS Adventure Books #1). Louise’s students each have their own Kindle which has been well received by students. David Apgar, high school science teacher, complimented the comprehensive resource book provided by PLT. Upon completion everyone received the ready to use resource book. Mrs. Bartlett mused that “this book has several valuable lessons that I plan to use before the end of the school year. I also appreciated that each of the PLT facilitators encouraged us to get in touch if we need further assistance.” (Note from Pat Maloney: If you have a favorite Kindle book about forests, please share on the MEPLT FB page)

The 2017 Summer Teachers’ Tours

Have you attended a Maine TREE Foundation

Summer Teachers’ Tour? If not, join us on a 4-

day tour of Maine’s forests and mills. The tour

includes an introductory Project Learning Tree

workshop, trips to see modern tree harvesting,

wood products manufacturing, maple syrup

making, a wind farm and a tree farm. You’ll hear

from foresters and land owners and have time to

share with and enjoy colleagues.

July 11 – 14 The Birches on Moosehead Lake

July 25 – 28 Camp Wapiti: Gateway to Baxter

State Park and the County

Space is limited, so call or e-mail soon to receive

an information/registration brochure. Contact us

at 207-621-9872 or mtf@gwi.net. For more

details visit: www.mainetreefoundation.org

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400 Acre Wood with Auburn Middle School Students

By Cameron Sutton

Students in my 7th grade science class recently participated in the 400-acre wood activity. We were about to start our Ecology and Ecosystems unit. Many students in Auburn are familiar with forests and forest land, but not with how it is managed nor jobs it might provide. I decided that this activity would give students the opportunity to learn about different occupations in the forest and also different ways that a forest is used.

400 Acre Wood Student Posters

Small groups brainstormed how forests are used and what they provide. Students came up with many forest products including paper, maple syrup, and wood, and I was happy to hear conversations about jobs and animal habitats. From there, students explored different forest uses from PLT K-8’s #32 A Forest of Many Uses including wilderness, fishing/hunting, campgrounds, and trails. Using Key questions through Google Classroom, each group discussed and answered all questions. Students worked together to decide which uses and how many would fill their 400-acres. We discussed the size of an acre since scope and scale is often a bit abstract for 12 year olds. Each group had a draft forest management plan map for creating their own plans. We used an online spreadsheet to calculate their use, costs and revenues. This often changed the decisions of the group. Groups considered the focus of their forest plan for maintaining wildlife, increasing revenue, or increasing visitors. Lots of great discussions took place about what was important to each group and each student. Students used Google Classroom throughout the project to calculate, answer and discuss questions and then to assess their learning. Once plans were completed and posters made, students evaluated which plans balanced or impacted wildlife, visitors and preservation. This activity did indeed introduce students to many aspects of forest management, many of which they had never considered.

OUR BIANNUAL ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE

FOLLOWING PLT FACILITATORS & PRESENTERS EXTRAORDINAIRE:

Terri Coolong

Patty Cormier

Kevin Doran

Shane Duigan

Cindy Kuhn

Ken Laustsen

Jake Maier

Elaine Philbrook

Ann Putney

Janice Rey

Anita Smith

Katrina Venhuizen

Linda Woodward

Sincere & special thanks to: Ecomaine

Maine Audubon

Greg Miller, Maine Forest Service cartographer

Sarah Morrisseau

National Project Learning Tree Staff

Anna Schwarz, Maine Society of American Foresters

Tim Surrette, UMaine at Augusta

Weyerhauser

Forest Field Day Presenters for Skowhegan, Sid Emery

Demo Forest and Pownal Elementary School

Need to update your FIG data? Interested in learning

about the Maine PLT Forest Inventory Growth (FIG)

program? Call Pat Maloney or check out the

www.mainefig.org website.

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Calendar of Events

Watch www.mainetreefoundation.org for 2017 workshop updates.

If you are interested in hosting a PLT workshop in your school or community,

please call Pat Maloney at 626-7990 or email meprojectlearningtree@gmail.com to make plans!

Visit us on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/MainePLT

April 24-28, 2017

National PLT Coordinators Conference

Louisville, Kentucky

April 29, 2017

PLT K-8 Workshop

China Primary School

China, Maine

May 3, 2017

Forest Field Day

Skowhegan, Maine

May 11, 2017

MEPLT Steering Committee

Viles Arboretum

Augusta, Maine

May 19, 2017

Children’s Water Festival

University of Southern Maine

Portland, Maine

May 24, 2017

Forest Inventory Growth (FIG) and Focus on

Forests workshop

Lakes Environmental Association

Bridgton, Maine

May 29, 2017

China Forest Field Day

China’s School Forest

China, Maine

July 11-14, 2017 Maine Summer Teachers’ Tour One The Birches on Moosehead Lake

July 25-28

Maine Summer Teachers’ Tour Two

Camp Wapiti: Gateway to Baxter State Park and

the County

August 10, 2017

MEPLT Steering Committee

Viles Arboretum

Augusta, Maine

October 14, 2017

Maine PLT 40th Anniversary Celebration

China’s School Forest

China, Maine

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Augusta, ME